1. Go on a weekend
retreat where it is quiet and where you
can be alone. This might be the year that
you actually go on that silent retreat
that you’ve been longing for. Remember
that your spiritual life is the wellspring
from which you minister, study, and work.
An empty well will be bad news for your
school, work, friends, and family.
2.
Take a vacation. Whether you have deep
pockets or are on a tight budget - there’s
every reason to go on a vacation and everyone
can do it. The planning for it is fun
and gives you something to look forward
to. Actually being on vacation is an accomplishment
that you can feel good about, no matter
the scale or the destination. If you’re
on a tight budget, consider a long weekend
to a spot to which you can drive. Rent
an RV and see the country. Visit a water
park. Read a mystery novel in a lounge
chair on the beach. If you’re in
the mood for adventure, go mountain biking
for a week. Hike a part of the Appalachian
Trail. Whatever the vacation, the key
is to just do it. Maximize your time in
nature so as to remind yourself of the
grandeur of God. One final thought: why
not go on pilgrimage to a spot that you
have been eyeing up for years? Take a
day or so, visit a grotto or retreat center
and always remember to bring a specific
prayer intention with you. I once went
to Emmitsburg, MD to the shrine of St.
Elizabeth Anne Seton and prayed for a
family member who was is desperate need.
Not a bad way to spend the day!
3.
Clean out your work space. It feels good
to clean up clutter, throw out stuff and
get your things in order. Go through your
in-box, wipe out old emails and put things
where they need to be. Take pride in your
office or work area and make it a place
where others want to be, i.e. a clean
and inviting space where work gets done.
The more organized you can be, the freer
you are to respond to others’ needs.
4.
Revise your hours. Make it known through
voice mail, email and door signs that
you will be working shortened "summer
hours" for a designated period of
time. While not all work environments
allow for this, it doesn’t hurt
to explore options. Can you stay late
on Thursday so as to punch out early on
Friday? As long as others know your schedule,
they’ll respect the fact that summer
is for taking things a little bit easier.
5.
Get in touch with a distant friend. Renew
your friendship and good vibes once again
with someone that you often think of contacting
but just can’t find the time to
do so. Is there a day trip that you can
take to visit them? I’ve often thought
that it would be amazing to get some friends
together for a weekend of fishing or hiking.
There’s nothing like physical activity
to bring a group of friends together and
summer is the perfect time for your reunion.
6.
Brush up on your theology. If you have
4-5 books that are in a stack on your
shelf and you’ve been wanting to
read them but never had the chance - now
is the time! Go for it and work through
one at a time. Enjoy the afternoon with
some ice tea and a cool breeze. Take notes
and always have a pen and paper to "think
with" the book. Don’t forget
to visit Scripture, and often. Get into
the Word, even if it’s been a while
since you’ve had a chance to study
the Bible. Take your study seriously but
have fun on the way. Why not meet with
a few friends for breakfast each week
to discuss your study? Finally, if there
is an area that you consider yourself
“weak” in, why not aim for
a book or two in that subject? (i.e. Scripture,
morality, Church history, etc.)
7.
Plan for the new year in a reflective
way. In one parish assignment that I had,
I arranged for my adult leadership team
to have an afternoon away from the parish
and away from the busy-ness of life. We
went to a remote spot and prayed, talked
and had fun together. There was a clear
agenda of items that we wanted to review
but it wasn’t constrictive and allowed
for plenty of time to adjust as needed.
You may want to take some time this summer
to get away by yourself to look back on
the year and plan for the year ahead.
Allow for some "dream time"
so that you can be creative and test out
"in a perfect world" ideas for
your school, work, and friends. Write
them down and revisit them on occasion.
You may also want to take some time to
get away and think about your own mission
statement and some personal and professional
goals for the upcoming year. It’s
always better to be ready when September
comes than to have to scramble at the
last minute to regain focus and that healthy
sense of control.
